An increase of over 100% in program expenditures for the Pell Grant program over a five year period of time, from $14.7 billion in the 2007-08 award year to $33.4 billion in the 2011-12 award year, places an otherwise popular program under scrutiny. This article considers the factors and options informing federal policy related to the Pell Grant…

The flow of capital to and through the Guaranteed Student Loan (GSL) Program and the cost of that capital to the federal government and the individual borrower were studied. A review of the research on student loan capital was conducted, and automated cost models were developed to test assumptions and project future costs. Attention was directed…

The administrative costs of the student financial aid delivery process at postsecondary institutions were analyzed. After reviewing the literature and interviewing selected experts, 1982 cost data at nine institutions were studied: three public and two private colleges, two community colleges, and two proprietary institutions. Costs were…

Policy recommendations regarding free tuition for the City University of New York (CUNY) as proposed by the Committee for Public Higher Education, (CPHE), and a research report by Richard Rothbard, are presented. Based on Rothbard's investigation, "The Cost of Tuition: A Study of the City University of New York," CPHE recommends the…

Current federal student financial assistance programs are described, and their impact on access to and choice of postsecondary education are assessed. In addition, recommendations and policy options for promoting educational opportunity are offered. Findings of the following eight studies are analyzed: (1) changes in college attendance and student…